Dave Larson
Non-Partisan | Washington
Candidate Profile
Leans Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Dave Larson
Party
Non-Partisan
Election Year
2016
Election
General
Race
Supreme Court Justice, Place 6
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Seattle University School of Law, Seattle, Juris Doctor, 1984
University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Bachelor of Arts, 1980
WORK & MILITARY
City of Federal Way, Presiding Judge, 2008-present
Federal Way School Board, Board Member/President, 2006-2008
Civil trial lawyer, Trial lawyer, 1985-2008
AFFILIATIONS
Advancing Leadership, Board Member, Council on Public Legal Education
Executive Board Member, Kiwanis Club of Federal Way, Immediate Past President ad many other positions
Aktion Club of Federal Way, Founder and Advisor, YMCA Youth & Government
Convener, South King County YMCA Mock Trial, St Vincent de Paul Parish, Former Chair of Pastoral Council
St Vincent de Paul Parish, Eucharistic Minister, District & Municipal Judges Association
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Judge, 2008-present
School Board Member - Federal Way Public Schools, 2006-2008
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
(Candidate did not provide)
Race
Previous Races
ENDORSEMENTS
OTHER (1)
Mainstream Republicans of Washington
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (6)
Former Governor Dan Evans
Fomer Attornmey General & Senator Slade Gorton
Former Secretary of State Sam Reed
Congressman Dave Reichart
Seattle Times Editorial Board
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (1)
Local, County, and District Republican Organizations
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (0)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (1)
International Brotherhood of Teamsters
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
Election of judges by the people for a definite term of office is the best way to select judges.
Strongly Agree
Which U.S. Supreme Court justice best reflects your judicial philosophy?
No Answer
Which of the following U.S. presidents best reflects your political philosophy?
No Answer
The founders established pure democracy in the Constitution because they believed that it is the best form of government to ensure the safety and equitable treatment of all citizens.
Strongly Disagree
Free enterprise and the right to private property turn mankind's natural self-interest into the most productive economic system there is.
Strongly Agree
George Washington's comment that “Religion and morality are the essential pillars of civil society” is still true today.
Strongly Agree
Islamic law (Sharia) does not pose a threat to the United States and its Constitution.
Strongly Disagree
Based on the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, please arrange the following entities, starting with the highest source of authority, and continue the list in descending order of authority, skipping any that do not apply: Academia, Congress, Constitution, God, Industry, Media, Professional Sports, Supreme Court, Voters.
The Constitution is a restriction on power/authority, but God, Constitution, voters, with congress and the supreme court as co-equal branches of government with different authorities and different restrictions is the correct answer.
What in the nature of mankind caused America’s Founders to carefully define, separate, and limit powers in the Constitution?
History has shown that power will be abused by people if it is allowed to coalesce in one place. Power is best diffused by having a bicameral legislature, an executive, and a separate judiciary. Power is further diffused by the existence of states with the rights of those states being preserved in relation to the federal government.
What is the proper use of legislative history in interpreting statutory law?
You start by looking to the plain meaning of the words, but use legislative history to attempt to find the meaning of ambiguous or inconsistent statutory terms.
What specific text in the Declaration of Independence provides the critical basis for individual rights and the form of government guaranteed in the United States Constitution?
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
In which partisan primary election did you most recently vote (e.g. Democratic, Republican, etc.)?
Cannot disclose/ethics
The U.S. Constitution and my state constitution should be interpreted as living documents, rather than use a strict constructionist or originalist philosophy.
Strongly Disagree
In light of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges allowing members of the same sex to marry, which justice’s opinion in that case most closely approximates your understanding of marriage?
Chief Justice Roberts
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am an adherent Roman Catholic.
Considering all issues (social, economic, national security, etc.), which of these best describes you?
No Answer
Please defend your answer to the previous question by referencing your publicly available track record.
It does not matter if a judge is liberal, conservative, or moderate. The job of a judge is to put personal opinions and preferences aside and make decisions based upon the law and the Constitution as they are written. Self identifying as part of a predetermined category should be a violation of the Code of Judicial Conduct. A judge should not exercise his or her opinions to shape the law, a judge should overcome his or her opinions to follow the law.
E-mail address and phone number for voters to reach you.
judgelarson@larsonforjustice.org 206-257-2075
Additional comment from candidate:
Thank you for the opportunity to respond.
